Personal Finance News Wednesday 8/8

Phil's Personal Finance Tip of the Day:

11 Ways to Save Big on College Textbooks
By Brandon Ballenger | Money Talks News – Wed, Aug 8, 2012 1:29 PM EDT

Most college students will be returning to campus later this month, and they’ll spend an estimated average of $655 on textbooks for the school year.

That sounds low to me – more like what I’d spend in a semester as an English major a few years ago.

The National Association of College Stores says today’s prices are less than two years ago ($667) or four years ago ($702), but it’s still a lot. And $47 in savings isn’t all that comforting when you consider the average total cost of college has jumped 28.6 percent – almost $4,000 – over those same four years, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Anything you can do to offset costs counts. So here are some strategies to save on your textbooks, starting with this video from Money Talks founder Stacy Johnson. Check it out, then meet me on the other side for more…


Click here to watch ’3 Places to Get Free Textbooks’ on MoneyTalksNews.com
Now let’s add more details and tips…

1. Contact your professors now

Class may not start for weeks, but chances are your textbooks are already decided – professors have to give college stores advance notice so they can order copies. So email your profs and ask for the syllabus or required textbook list so you can snag the cheapest copies before your classmates get the chance.

If you know students who have had that professor before, talk to them. They might still have a copy for cheap. And the professor might say you need a certain book, but your friend who had him might tell you they only used it in class once, and there was nothing from it on the tests. But either way, before you buy…

2. Visit the campus library

Why pay anything when you can borrow it free? If you’re quick enough, you may be able to get one of the library’s precious few copies. If it’s checked out, see if you can reserve a copy that’s due back soon.

And don’t forget digital libraries. As Stacy mentioned in the video, many out-of-copyright works are available on sites such as Project Gutenberg and Bartleby.

To read the entire article by Brandon Ballenger | Money Talks News:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/11-ways-save-big-college-153713865.html


Scripture of the Day from Dave Ramsey.com:
Philippians 4:11 — I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Please listen to the Dave Ramsey show live on WOR 710 from 2-4 PM EST. You can also listen to the 3rd hour 4-5 PM EST. at Dave Ramsey.com.